The Child of Thunder 16

By
Ifeoma Isabella Okeke

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“Now Ogbanje will know that, I, Adaku, I am not someone to toy with” Adaku boasted as she kept the calabash where she had brought it out from. “Soon the news of what happened to Ogbanje will spread like wild fire and Ebuka would be stoned to death” she added as she made her way out of her hut.

As she opened it to step out of the hut, she quickly gave out a loud shout and fell to the ground writhing in severe pains.

The black scorpion had bitten her in her left leg. As soon as it bit her, the black scorpion disappeared.

Adaku quickly stood up with the pain going through her body, she ignored it in as she walked in pain back inside her hut.

It was the black scorpion which she had earlier sent to Ebuka.

She quickly picked a black Kolanut and chewed a little bit out of it. The pains subsided immediately. But the injury which the black scorpion had inflicted on her had suddenly appeared to mould into a wound growing steadfast. She spat into the wound, causing it to ceased in it’s sudden growth. But the pains caused by the wound still remained. Spreading the pains through that leg.

Why had the Scorpion bit her when she told it to cause a conflict between Ebuka and Ogbanje but it came back to her instead.

‘Has Ogbanje powers grow enormously that my powers are no match for her?’ Adaku thought as she sat down on her bamboo bed, thinking hard.

“No! Ogbanje powers can never be stronger than mine. I will kill Ogbanje and her useless father even if it is the last thing I do” Adaku poured, beating her breast with her palm as she demonstrated her seriousness.

“After what Okoro put me through I can’t let go easily, I have promised my daughter. I made a promise to her to kill Ogbanje and her father before Ogbanje reaches her twentieth (20th). The year is fast approaching an end and yet I have not been able to kill neither of them. I had even gone to meet my great grandmother for more powers and still I can’t kill Okoro” she pondered.

“I can’t continue like this. The days that I have been given are being numbered. I have to go and see my daughter. I have to go and see her and convince her” Adaku said as stretched out the leg with the wound and started massaging it.

******

On her way home she met with the old woman whom she usually assist in house chores.

Hissing so loudly so the old woman could hear it and continued her way without greeting her or throwing her a look at all.

The old woman seemed surprised and shocked with the way Ogbanje did.

“My daughter”, the old woman began halting Ogbanje in her footsteps. “What is it or didn’t you see me when you passed by? I know you did no see me that is why you did not greet me. Any way my daughter I have been wondering why I haven’t been seeing you since the last few days. You know you ought to come to house at Eke day but you didn’t come and I have been searching for you. What happened?”. She interrogated.

Ogbanje turned to face the old woman.

“I don’t have what they call ‘Time’ to answer those stupid questions of yours”, seeing a more surprise look on the face of the old woman Ogbanje continued.

“I know that you and Adaku are witch and please this should be the first and last time you’d see me and stop me. I am only telling you because you know me, you know what I can do. No wonder you are like this. You ate all your children and you are not even ashamed you are like this, Shameless woman” Ogbanje lambasted her, hissed and left.

“She knew? How?” the old woman thought.

******

“What happened to you my son?” Omekannaya asked his son Obinnwanne.

He had gone to his mother home for an important business when he got his son’s message. But got the shock of his life when he saw his son two cheeks were swollen.

“Papa, nothing” Obinnwanne managed to speak amidst with pains in his mouth. In fact, the whole part of his mouth and head were in pains.

Ever since the strange young man that slapped him left, his cheeks had grown and the pains was unbearable.

“Nothing? I don’t believe you at all. Who did you provoke that put you in this condition?” Omekannaya questioned his son.

“I have told you papa that I did not do anything. Please go and find any Idbia man to help me stop this pain” Obinnwanne requested.

Omekannaya quickly left his son in search for a powerful Idbia.

***

Papa what is wrong with your wife?” Ogbanje asked Okoro as she was surprised to see Adaku limping on her right foot. She sat down on the mat her children had already laid out for her at the frontage of her own hut to sit down. She was rubbing a concoction oil Okoro had given her to use.

“I don’t know Ada. We came back from the farm only to meet her walking like that when I asked her what happened she said something had bitten her but she didn’t know what bit her” Okoro explained.

She knew what Adaku had done and silently laughed at her. Adaku deserve more than this.

“Only the gods knows what might have bitten her to have caused such a wound”. Okoro added as he and Ogbanje stared at Adaku, one in pity and the other one in happiness.

“Ehm papa since she can’t walk properly I should start preparing for dinner”.

“Yes, but call your sisters to assist you. I don’t want to see you alone in that kitchen. Make sure Ugochi and Uzochi are there with you”. Okoro said.

***

Ebuka was clearing the farm when he felt the presence of Ikenga within the farmland.

He had told his mother to take the day off with his younger siblings that he would go to the farm to plant the maize for them.

After planting the maize without delay he quickly started clearing off the weeds that had grown round some of their crops.

It was at this moment he felt his presence.

He continued never the less pretending he didn’t notice his presence. After all, to Ikenga he was just an ordinary human to him.

He laughed sheepishly as he continued his clearing.

“I don’t know what my Ada sees in you that would make her fell in love with you rather than me” Ikenga muttered.

Ebuka almost jumped out of his skin in pretense. He pretended to be surprise on seeing the young man who stood in front of him.

“Who are you and how did you get to this place without my notice? How did you manage to walk up to me without noise?” Ebuka feigned as he asked.

“How I came to be here is not your business, I only came here with a warning to stay away from my Ada if not you will face my wrath” Ikenga threatened.

Ebuka burst out into laughter

“I am sorry stranger but you see in Udum we have plenty families who has an Ada in each of every home here, maybe you are mistaken your Ada for mine” Ebuka replied bravely

“Do not take me for a fool. You and I know the Ada I am talking about. I am only here to warn you to stay off her”

“Oh are you talking about my Adaolisa?”

“Exactly”

“Sorry to say this Ikemefuna but she is mine and will forever remain mine. I should be the one warning you to stay off from my Adaolisa and not the other way round. If I ever hear from my heart that you stopped her or even talk to her again, you will see the other side of me. Ya mere ọ bụrụ na ị maara ihe ọma gị onwe gị Ikemefuna Nọrọ na ya ma ọ bụ na ị na-eche ihu m iwe. Chee okwu m- so if you know what is good for you Ikemefuna stay away from her or face my wrath. Mark my words”. Ebuka replied Ikemefuna.

Ikemefuna smirked and nodded his head at Ebuka. “I like your courage but you don’t know who you are talking to..”.

Ebuka interrupted quickly “And I don’t care to know who you are. You also don’t know who I am. I am not afraid of you or your threats”. Ebuka fired back as he bent and continued with his works.

“I see you have the guts to talk back at me. We shall see who laugh last”. Ikemefuna said and he disappeared.

To Be Continued…

Story by Ifeoma Isabella Okeke